Fall Yamadori - The hunt for Bonsai in the Pacific Northwest

Thank you for joining my channel. A channel about gardening, figs, fruit, bonsai and koi.
In this video I go Fall yamadori in the Forest of PNW with my friend Stephen. I've heard that Fall yamadori can yield better success with after care. Let's see how true this will be.
I find 2 really amazing trees in this video. Limber pine and Sub Alpine Fir duel trunk.
** So thanks to Graham for identifying the pine as a Western White pine. It's not a Limber pine or shore pine.
0:00 Early Morning
2:10 Sunrise
3:20 Hoodsport
4:30 Be Prepared
6:00 Drive up to the site
13:30 Limber Pine Dig
25:00 Sub Alpine Fir over rock dig
28:00 beauty of natural mountain hemlock
30:00 Home and repot
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#bonsai #yamadori#bonsaihunting

[@BenBSeattle]

** So thanks to Graham for identifying the pine as a Western White pine. It's not a Limber pine or shore pine.

[@anicetomaldonado]

I've got some trees I've collected, I have no clue what they are... Maybe we can trade because they are a bunch growing near me. I'm an hour south of Seattle...

[@melanesianbonsai]

Bonsai material everywhere. this place is like a bonsai paradise.

[@frankshewmake9753]

I used to live in the Bay Area near San Francisco and could collect in the Santa Cruz mountains. I moved to southeast Asia about 13 years ago and had to give away all my trees. Your video brought back all those memories. I started again after settling here but miss those pines and maples.

[@G_909]

Did you get permits for them? I’m in the bay and want to go collect nearby

[@glma2711]

Would love to see an update on these trees!

[@miketabback2635]

Possibly one of the most enjoyable videos I ever seen, anywhere. Thanks Mike from NJ

[@chun_8070]

I grew up in the PNW, and recently had to move South for University. Seeing the beautiful scenery makes me nostalgic! I'd love to go do something like this when I come back.

[@mimoochodom2684]

Incredible material to work with. You are extremely fortunate.

[@IRONHORSE427RACING]

Ben thanks for the ride along. We live in the Black Hills of South Dakota and I have been doing Bonsai since I was a teenager in the 70's. I hope you do a follow up video on both those 2 trees so we can keep up with how they are doing. We have an abundance of Spruce, Pine and Juniper here that we collect from all the rocky higher altitude areas and I can tell you it's not easy collecting one, taking it home and throwing it in a pot and then it grows....it took me several years of slow trial and error to get what works here down so now we don't ever loose a tree when at first it was maybe 50/50 that would survive or die. I learned the hard way that the least stress you put on a collected tree the better And putting it in a container ASAP with its own soil around the nebari and root ball the better. We always place all our collected trees in a layer of Sphagnum Moss under a top layer of its own soil then a good top layer of Bonsai soil formulated for Pine & Juniper on the very bottom for drainage and a top covering just to help it get the proper distribution of minerals to help in new root growth. We found that in 6 months we have EXCELLENT new root development using this formula. Oh as a last thing....once we bring one home and pot it up we absolutely do nothing but monitor it's water till it's grown at least a full season then we start to train and if needed wire it. Alot of the ones we collect need very little if any wiring to make very beautiful natural bonsai... usually we just prune it to get the designs and pad formation we look. Good luck and we really enjoyed the videos

[@BenBSeattle]

Awesome thanks Randy I'd love to see some of the trees you have

[@IRONHORSE427RACING]

@@BenBSeattle I will be only too happy to show you some just tell me how to get you some photos. Oh and if you ever decide to come visit the Black Hills to see Mt. Rushmore or ? It's only 12 miles from our home here and I could show you some really spectacular nature made Bonsai and our world famous Black Hills Spruce (sub species of white spruce) that grows no place on earth but here.

[@BenBSeattle]

@@IRONHORSE427RACING that's awesome, if you're on FB thats the best way using the msgr app, it doesnt degrade the photos when you send them

[@IRONHORSE427RACING]

@@BenBSeattle I'm not on FB but the wife is will look you up tomorrow afternoon Mountain Time and send you a few.

[@stephanebrillant5254]

Magnifique prélèvement. Bravo

[@JuanLopez-tp7hj]

Wow it’s beautiful there I love mornings

[@timdady4660]

All the way from the east coast of the UK , fantastic choice of tree's to work on . Where I live we have no hills or mountain's, but we do have a few forests to pick from. Looking forward to seeing what you do with them .The white pine is stunning . great stuff thank you .

[@Sayef_Li]

The video was so beautiful

[@genkibonsai]

Thanks for sharing! That was awesome 👏

[@PNWBonsai]

Dang looks like I missed another great trip! That white pine looks amazing! Hopefully in spring I can make a trip!

[@BenBSeattle]

yeah it was fun, you missed out Glenn

[@lawrencemcnally3164]

How lucky you are to have that on your doorstep , nice tree,

[@United.Inverts]

Would love to live there! The nature looks incredible 😍 👌

[@iPheek]

Definitely get a system! It took me a long while to get it right, but when I had to leave for 10 days, it worked and had no problems! I love watering by hand but it’s good to have that system ready. I recently moved my trees around and I have to redo it, but it shouldnt take long.!

[@GreatLakesBonsai]

Great collecting trip, with some lovely trees!

[@4nthrax1017]

Are we able to collect trees from our national forest in Michigan?

[@GreatLakesBonsai]

@@4nthrax1017 we are not :/ though there are xmas tree permits in the winter - you can talk to the ranger office to clarify.

[@gregf8167]

Jackpot, nice

[@BONSAI-DAN-IKAN-HIAS-KOI]

Wauw indah sekali

[@bonsaisn]

👍Tuyệt vời 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@Chris-oq6kn]

Great video . Great trip. Felt like i was right there with u. Awesome sights .

[@BenBSeattle]

Glad you enjoyed

[@outofthebox7610]

Love the last one.

[@joint-heirwithchrist5241]

WOW! I am so jealous!

[@abhinav3101]

Awesome

[@natecator7570]

I am really impressed with this editing

[@MrBlueyes95]

Awesome video Ben! Im planning on going sometime soon!

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

Nice trees Ben, I collected 4 from Baker and only lost 1 the Hemlock which was beautiful and collected hanging from a cliff. Late October is when I got them, itching to get back out.

[@jagatcilikbonsai3298]

Medan perburuan yang bagus 👍

[@mynala110]

Can’t wait for a follow up

[@340wbymag]

I use a short-cycle timer and a small aquarium water pump to water my plants when I cannot be there to care for them. I also use an Evergreen Reptile Fogger to keep the moisture (humidity) at an acceptable level when the air is dry. I think of the coastal redwoods enjoying the foggy coastal weather. There are lots of ways to keep your plants watered.

[@topviraldaily7330]

love that trees

[@JesusChrist4ever]

Cougars are definitely out here 😂 ❤

[@britaglious]

Too sweet

[@jhonyboman7456]

Nice

[@alessandropezzotti1755]

Fantastico

[@greenhawk1592]

Cool!! Grtz from Belgium 🌲

[@BenBSeattle]

Thanks! 😃

[@menorehbonsai1106]

Wow... I like yamadori at continent have 4 seasons

[@BarefootBonsai]

Man that little one in the rock crack had the most amazing root system.

[@zaviahopethomas-woundedsou9848]

I just drove through Hoodsport two days ago, on my way home from Oak Harbor.

[@kushkevtv2969]

Just wow! Also subbed not sure why I wasn't already.

[@profesorbonsai]

Good yamadori

[@bonsaitropis_27]

Very good. Peace from indonesia

[@thenaturecreater8906]

Nice score! How about update on the trees you got last time. The one that survived

[@woodsharpmusicandart3607]

bro dont forget make a video of those in the future. amazing trees

[@BenBSeattle]

I plan onto. Fingers cross they survive

[@invivobonsai]

Did Olympic National Forest start issuing transplant permits recently? When I was out there they were the one that didn't seem like they would based on their website.

[@12thFan23]

Keep us updated on the progress. I know you are prolly in the Seattle area. I live north of there. Too bad you don't live in my area because I could learn a ton from you.

[@user-nq6xl3fy8w]

Verygoog 😮❤

[@ryanashby2459]

I always wondered if it was legal to harvest trees from a national forest. Interesting.

[@michaeleber4752]

It isn't legal AT ALL.

[@danielpersson7483]

You should always get a permit.In Sweden we have what called "allmansright" that means you are alowed to go anywhere in nature,even privat property aslong as you stay x nr of meters from houses etc but you still need to ask the owner of the property if you wanna dig something up

[@PAUMsVids]

Super legal, just like hunting... you need a permit

[@CascadianFyn]

Great, laid back tutorial. Thanks for sharing.

[@vikashwan]

love the 4 seasons we have,,Pacific Northwest is amazing anytime of the year...What " Cougar" was that ..lol

[@BenBSeattle]

Those cougars will go after your youngens

[@corbinswinney3112]

You should make an update for these trees I would love to see how they turned out

[@timpack8882]

Ben, what an amazing place you live in to be able to collect in October! Here in Alaska, I have to wait till April or later, but your video still has me excited to get back out into the forests for Yamadori! Thank you for the excellent content and take care.

[@luongden242]

Thật tuyệt

[@KaptenMerah-]

it's really very beautiful nature there, I feel happy to be able to enjoy the natural beauty there even if only through watching your videos, there are lots of bonsai materials, greetings Indonesian beginner bonsai lovers

[@DavidJones-ty1ht]

Its about that time of year again!!!! You guys are lucky the park rangers in my area don't play that. No way I could hike up with a shovel. I've gotten a few baby balsam firs.yes the only place in the world balsm firs grow wild. North Carolina mountains

[@Putra_mulyadi]

Salam satu hobi untuk semua

[@DA-zz3yl]

23:00 nice👍👍

[@cegr76]

Would it matter if you were collecting deciduous trees in the fall? I'm also in the PNW and want to collect something out of my back yard that I think is either a cherry or a plum.

[@alamliarvlog]

❤❤❤

[@zaviahopethomas-woundedsou9848]

As I think of looking for unique twisted young trees, I would go to areas along the waterfront that get high winds like Fort Ebey State Park on Whidbey Island. All the wind blowing through the Straight of Juan De Fuca hit that park. Near the mouth of the Columbia river or where the river cuts through the Cascade Mountains would be good too! Along the ocean and Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park are good places hit by lots of wind as well. La Push and Neah bay have had winds of over 130 mph, that is good tree twisting wind!

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

The shore usually has a lot of trails and people and you can't collect in them, hence climbing to somewhere more remote.

[@MikeHunt-lz2hq]

Best places for me are places on the edges of tree lines with rocky outcrops. These conditions are perfect for dwarfing trees naturally

[@60sVblogs]

Hi Ben, great video. I've been searching around my area for natural bonsai as well. Anyway, do you have to get some kind of permit to dig these out of the forest?

[@BenBSeattle]

Yes you have to get it from the ranger station in that area www.fs.usda.gov/help/mbs

[@joannevandyke5112]

Bonsai and Geology 😀

[@josiehardy6988]

Wow!!!! amazing yamadori, you all are so blessed. I would give my right arm for some of those trees. Here in the eastern United States, everything is pretty much dead straight and huge roots going super deep. It is very hard to find any good material and if you do, it is very hard to collect with enough roots to survive. Thanks for sharing.

[@thelivingbonsai7549]

Wow take me with you sometime I would love to get a collected tree.

[@barokahnursery]

💖

[@7Spronge]

Seeing all these yamadori videos makes me think i'm the only one that puts a tree back if I take one from nature. A small nursery stock pine won't make you poor.

[@MikeHunt-lz2hq]

Me and my son do this, we plant around 10 trees per each tree we collect . But it's not always a good idea to take trees and plant them in forests

[@ThangDinh]

Beautiful anh! I love the video.

[@BenBSeattle]

Thank you Thang

[@virolfestrellado9425]

In our area here in Southern Alberta Canada has most Limber Pine growing on cliffs and rocks. They symbolizes endurance and hardness due to withstand the harsher conditions. But sadly they're endangered specie as they don't propagate much and grow slow, prop triggered by fire.

[@kevenstone1262]

What are the regulations in the Santa Cruz mountains or where can I find this info ? Thanks for any info

[@bayareaspearoshorediver7535]

How do you get a permit for yamadori collection? Great job,, and Good luck on your new collected trees Ben.

[@BenBSeattle]

best to reach out to the ranger office in the area. Search the USDA forest websites.

[@ashermccord]

@@BenBSeattle I live outside Tacoma and My in-laws live outside of Hoodsport. So many amazing trees that way. Is there a group of people that do this? I am a long time plant dude, but new to bonsai and obviously to yamadori. I will definitely haul an extra tree in exchange to learn! lol. Cheers!

[@-ChrisD]

This was quite a nice share. Thanks for uploading. It definitely looked like a wonderful time with lots of sunshine although collecting bonsai in any weather can quite an enjoyment for me :-) Either way that was so cool!!

[@imcoolboi-tq6zb]

Have you used the method Randy Knight developed for recovering sensitive Yamadori? If you know you know but if you don’t then this is a level up for your collecting abilities!!!! It’s also the best emergency recovery method for trees that get sunburnt and experiencing drought. We have had a ton of success using it to recover a lot of issues. It can also be used as a way to force back budding on stubborn material 🎉

[@PatriciaOConnorBonsaiBalcony]

Nice score Ben!

[@sardijayabonsai]

Goood👍👍👍🕳️

[@shrory]

In one of your vlogs you mention Root Slayer, which model do you use, as i did see you destroy one

[@BenBSeattle]

23311. I got it immediately replaced through warranty though

[@shrory]

@@BenBSeattle thk you. And thank you for some very informative video. Ray from the Okanagan

[@bonsaikrcchannel-lo7nh]

👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@andyhansen3117]

Good job!!!

[@dickmcshan9778]

Always enjoy your presentations. Do you need to be licensed to take plants from national parks? Those are amazing beauties! Cheers, Dick in Vancouver.

[@BenBSeattle]

not licensed but you do need to register for a permit.

[@dickmcshan9778]

@@BenBSeattle Excellent… I’ve often come across beautiful, natural bonsai material but never touched it. Good to know. Thanks.

[@dungchaidc]

Ước gì việt Nam có cây như thế này

[@MikeHunt-lz2hq]

I'm sure they do, just find a forest region near you . Your trees will be of different variety but in sure there's similar ones somewhere

[@andrewsdrmike]

Didn’t know you could collect in a National Forest

[@kennethreister7619]

I appreciate you posting this. There is something that the Video is lacking - Restoration of the disturbed environment. We should always try to leave as little evidence as as possible that we have dug and taken our prizes. It would be nice to show restoration efforts. Beautiful specimens! I've been up there before but took specimens at road cuts because it was soooo easy to haul to the car.

[@williamwoody7607]

Does anyone know whether or not you can collect trees in S. E. Pennsylvania?

[@MikeHunt-lz2hq]

You would have to check with the dnr or ranger in charge of the place you wish to collect trees from .Then you get a permit for so many trees

[@JuanLopez-tp7hj]

What would you guys do if one of you got bit by a snake .? We have no snakes in Hawaii so I’m curious

[@opy9135]

There are no venomous snakes in Western Washington. We are as clueless as you (:

[@jbvincent47]

White Pines are actually pretty common from Quilcene down through Shelton. I've always just thought they were Western White Pines (Pinus monticola) though.

[@grahamhues2926]

It’s in the White Pine group but no way is it a Limber Pine (LP) , it’s way to far from LP’s natural distribution......it’s a Western White Pine.

[@BenBSeattle]

@@grahamhues2926 Thx Garham I think you're probably correct!

[@John-jm4rh]

I recommend putting them in shade for two weeks

[@BenBSeattle]

Its nothing but shade here for the next 6 months =)

[@John-jm4rh]

Ben B. Seattle hahha oh right

[@Heisemberg000]

Here in italy is illegal but good job!!

[@paulschaefer5241]

Lodgepole pine and shore pine are in fact the same species. If you take a lodgepole pine and plant it on the beach, it will be a shore pine. if you plant a shore pine in the woods you will have a lodgpole pine. seems odd since shore pine needles are about 3" long whereas lodgepole pine needles are about 11" long plus the shore pine is multi leadered whereas the lodgepole pine usually has a single trunk.

[@NatureShy]

Partially correct. They are both the same species, but they are different varieties or subspecies. var. latifolia is the "forest/mountain" regular lodgepole pine. The tall and skinny one. var. contorta is Shore Pine, with multiple trunks. Typically not called Lodgepole Pine, to differentiate it from var. latifolia. var. murryana is Sierra Lodgepole Pine, which looks and grows similar to var. latifolia. So no, if you plant a Shore Pine in the forest, it wouldn't grow as a mountainous lodgepole pine. And if you plant a mountainous lodgepole pine, it wouldn't necessarily grow as a Shore Pine, because they're different varieties with different genetics and growth patterns. However, (regular) lodgepole and sierra lodgepole pine can sometimes have multiple trunks when grown as krumholtz trees in the higher reaches in the mountains where weather can stunt their growth significantly.

[@NatureShy]

Shore Pine Pinus contorta var. contorta is the one typically sold by nurseries and planted in landscapes. You can sometimes find Sierra lodgepole pine and regular lodgepole pine sold though, at some native nurseries and a few other regular nurseries. But it is not common.

[@LuisRojas-rs6pv]

Natural born bonsai

[@donaldwalls3737]

When did it become legal to take trees from National Forests??

[@nature337]

Companies regularly clear cut groves in national forests for logging. Not in national parks, but national forests are open for industrial scale resource extraction.

[@PAUMsVids]

Always. With a permit

[@caifanmercedesbenz952]

🙏❤️🌲💪🙏👍👍👍👌

[@magewae79]

To much talking scene....but it a great video any way...keep it up guys....salam dari indonesia bonsai....

[@BenBSeattle]

The beauty of youtube is you can skip what you dont want to watch ;)

[@vuhuynh8328]

Get a pack frame for your next trip to haul your trees.

[@BenBSeattle]

yeah thats on the to buy list

[@bonsaitreesoflife2248]

How much is the gathering permit?

[@MikeHunt-lz2hq]

It depends on where you go

[@PAUMsVids]

I think he said free

[@MrWaterbugdesign]

I've never seen a vertical thin Bonsai pot. Would be interesting to me if the fir 26:00 was in a pot close to the shape and position. Does Bonsai have to only be a vertically shallow pot? Or can the shallowness be horizontal?

[@jinjohn2572]

25:30 BINGO!

[@MikeHunt-lz2hq]

Why collect trees in fall vs spring .

[@dejon5850]

If we all did this the woods would be bare! Not good😢 21:27

[@BenBSeattle]

the good thing is we all dont and unlike logging, bonsai people take the the most beat up trees that are small and broken usually. Compared to forest fires, loggers and and even firefighters who cut down trees prior to fire season by the thousands, bonsai collecting barely makes up .0001 % of trees that are transplanted to grow and be cultivated as bonsai.

[@franciscocarlosoliveirasan4]

Traduzir Pará o português Brasil

[@haidafella8651]

I killed my yamidori by overwatering. I think. The spruce was fine. I had three hemlock two pine. Got one hemlock and one pine surviving.

[@j.hreviewsh6303]

I’m not sure about Washington but here in New Mexico taking a tree from one of our national forest is definitely frowned upon and completely illegal. Nice video tho. 👍🏻

[@AFMR0420]

He gets permits. As I’m sure you could too, even in New Mexico. After all, they are public resources. If you actually watch the video, he explains, just a few minutes in.

[@calvinperkins1579]

@@AFMR0420 u cant get a permet to remove trees like this u here him say this is a sketchy spot when there up there these guys are comiting a felony and in my back yard as I live below mt eleanor I'd love to catch these too they would never come off that mt

[@MikeHunt-lz2hq]

You can contact the people in charge of the forest and buy a permit

[@tjs323626]

I lived in Washington for a number of years. In some places you can with a permit collect these trees. In some places you can get fined for walking off the trail. Always be certain of the rules for the area you plan your adventure.

[@jllindle]

@@calvinperkins1579 so you would kill someone for taking a few trees? You're a clown.